Virtual world
by Angelica R
Summary: [AU S7] : Magic can really lead you anywhere, right ? Robyn is accidentally sent in a world where she can have everything she ever wanted. Will Belle – here as a ghost – succeed to make her leave this fake world ? Curious Archer & OutlawQueen & CaptainSwan & Glass Believer & Zades mentioned.


Virtual world.

[AU S7] : Magic can really lead you anywhere, right ? Robyn is accidentally sent in a world where she can have everything she ever wanted. Will Belle – here as a ghost – succeed to make her leave this fake world ? Curious Archer & OutlawQueen & CaptainSwan & Glass Believer & Zades mentioned.

Robyn never clearly understood how magic worked.

Oh, yes, she learned some magic as an adolescent, in Storybrooke, or with Gothel too, but it was certainly _not_ the thing she was the best at.

She didn't understand what happened to her, when she woke up, in Phuket, remembering everything about the curse, about Alice, about her mother, her aunt, _magic_ in general, and _Hyperion_ _Heights_ too.

The only thing she really understood was the pain that took her at this precise moment, when she remembered the truth, when she realized she was far from Alice since almost _two_ _years_ now, and from her mother and her aunt too.

Far from her entire family, who certainly not remembered who she was for them, if she excepted her own mother.

And furthermore, she realized that, if as Margot, she was not happy, well, as Robyn, it was worst, because she clearly knew the reason why.

She was alone.

Instead of going back to Seattle, she tried to find her way back to Storybrooke, because in this place, there was magic, and people who would help her by maybe giving her memories potions, so this fucking mess wasn't going to last forever, even though it was what the witches wanted.

Except that, apparently, magic wasn't on her side this day.

So yes, Robyn clearly didn't realize what happened this day, when she came back in Storybrooke, was hit by some strange magic, and then completely disappeared in a place she didn't know and in which she never was.

But for sure, it sucked.

 _§§§§_

When she opened her eyes, Robyn saw nothing at first.

(Later, in her mind, she would describe this place as a form of Wish Realm, or maybe Dream Realm, if this kind of thing really existed.)

She had no idea of the place where she was, but it was not Storybrooke, or Seattle.

Not even the New Enchanted Forest, or any place she visited as Margot.

She frowned.

Where the hell was she ?

She stand up, trying to recognize something, _anything_ which would look familiar in any way.

But nothing.

There was nothing.

Was it even real, or was she dreaming, right now ?

In fact, there were things around her, and she rapidly concluded that she was in a forest.

 _How_ _original_ _it_ _is_ , she thought, ironic.

Yes, if it was a dream, her mind certainly didn't have a great imagination. Or maybe that it was just a way to send herself in a place where she would feel safe and sound. Far from all her problems, the curse which was still not broken, the fact that she missed everyone from her family.

(Remember what kind of relationship _Margot_ had with her mother hadn't been good.

She missed her mom.

 _A_ _lot_.)

She pinched herself then, just as a reflex, to be sure that it was real, and she retained with difficulty a gasp of pain. Alright, so… it was real… And if it was magic which did it, then… how could she undo it ? How could she leave this place ?

After some seconds of reflexion, she realized that it did look like the Enchanted Forest, but… not the one she knew. It was more like the other Enchanted Forest, the original one.

The one from which her parents were coming…

When she looked at herself, she realized her intuition was good, when she saw herself, she saw her clothes being different from the one she had as Margot. It was like the one she wore in the Enchanted Forest.

She smiled lightly, still not understanding what was going on.

She had her bow and her arrows with her, so, obviously, she had been hunting, before she… get asleep ? Or before she woke up ? Well, she didn't really know.

She still didn't recognize the place, and she took her bow in her hands – as it was on the ground – sighting.

So now… what was she doing ?

 _§§§§_

She walked for some minutes in the forest, still trying to figure out where she really was, until she heard a voice coming from someone she definitely knew.

Alice.

The archer immediately froze, not understanding what was happening, and now, she was more and more thinking that yes, she was dreaming.

Definitely.

Because Alice couldn't be here, she herself just _couldn't_ be here, in the Enchanted Forest.

Except that there was a thing she couldn't deny.

They _were_ here.

And she realized it precisely at the moment where she really saw her girlfriend being in front of her, smiling to _her_ , dressed up as she was when they both were in the New Enchanted Forest.

"Alice ? Asked Robyn to the young woman, her voice being full of uncertainty. You're here ?"

 _You're really here ?_ She thought.

"Of course I'm here ! Answered the other woman with enthusiasm. I didn't see you since now almost three days, and I missed you. It took you some time, you know, before going back."

 _This is not real_.

It had been since _two_ _years_ that she didn't see Alice, _her_ Alice again. Not _three_ days, not _just_ _three_ _little_ _days_ , it couldn't be.

 _It can't be real, it can't be true_.

When the witch smiled again to her, and ran directly into her arms, taking her into a deep embrace, Robyn felt her breath stop.

No, it definitely couldn't be real, but it didn't stop Robyn from answering to the embrace her girlfriend was giving her.

Because, _bloody_ _hell_ , she missed her too, she missed it, she missed being with her, and she needed it, almost as much as she needed air.

(Almost.)

Now, she felt like she could breathe again, with Alice being in her arms.

 _This is not the reality you know_.

Yes, for sure, it was true, it was not her life, it had nothing to do with what she was living, and it was just a lie.

 _So what_?

Yes, maybe that she could handle this, and accept to stay here.

In a world where _Alice_ would be on her side, and where this one would remember her.

She tried not to remember about the real Alice, trapped in Hyperion Heights, and all alone.

( _She is not alone, she has her papa._

Oh, obviously, Robyn had no idea that it wasn't true, that Alice was still separated from her father, not remembering him, and thinking she was crazy, and that she mattered for no one, except herself.)

She tried not to care about all the inhabitants in Hyperion Heights, the one who were cursed, the one who needed help, _who_ _didn't_ _remember_ _who_ _they_ _really_ _were_.

She tried to not think about the curse, and the witches, and Gothel's evil plan.

For some seconds, maybe minutes, maybe _hours_ , she was going to stay focused on herself.

She had the right to do it, didn't she ?

(Of course, _of_ _course_ she did.)

Robyn just stayed into Alice's arms, and she forgot about what those in Hyperion Heights were living.

Just for now, after, she would go back to the real world, and continue where she stopped.

Well, if she could do it, and if there was a way to come back home.

 _§§§§_

She wasn't in the Olympus anymore.

Just some seconds before that, she was in this place, talking with Neal, and now, she was somewhere else.

The Enchanted Forest, Belle realized.

When she tried to touch a tree just next to her, Belle just saw her hand going through it, showing that she was still immaterial.

She frowned.

So, yep, she was still dead, and Zeus didn't bring her back, and it appeared that she was a ghost.

She had no fucking idea of the place she was, nor the reason why, but she was going to figure it out, very rapidly.

And when she would find the reason, then, she would go back to the Olympus.

And everything would go back to normal.

 _§§§§_

Robyn was walking absently on Alice's side, not really paying attention to the view or to anything, just enjoying her company, since she didn't see her since a too long time, and she distractedly looked at the place where they were going.

It was a castle. Looking like the one Regina owned when she was in the Enchanted Forest, when she still was the Evil Queen (according to the description Regina made of it, when she told her about her story.)

When she looked at it more precisely, she realized that it was the exact same.

So, she clearly was in the original Enchanted Forest, for some reason that she couldn't explain.

She followed Alice, who was now talking about insignificant things, that Robyn tried to listen, even though she had still difficulties to understand how possible this situation could be.

Why the hell was she here ?

The two women entered into the castle, and Robyn froze as she saw in front of her some people : her aunt Regina, of course, as her mother too, who was talking with her sister.

They were around a table, with other people, like Killian, Emma, but also Henry, Ella and Lucy.

Robyn had a painful smile.

Her family was here, in front of her : her mother, her aunt, her cousin and his family, and her girlfriend. She understood the reason why Killian was here, he was Alice's father after all, he was her family, so it had sense, but why on hell was Emma Swan here exactly ?

The thing is not that she didn't like the Sheriff, don't get her wrong, but she didn't understand the reason of her presence.

As she understood how the relationship between her and the pirate seemed to work, she realized that this Hook must be a mix between the one she knew (from Storybrooke) and Alice's father, as he still was her father here.

Which explained the reason why Emma was here.

But she didn't stay focused too much on this.

Because there was a man here too, that she at first didn't pay attention to, a blond man, to who her mother was smiling, a man she never saw before, but of course, she heard of him many times, some years ago.

A man that she finally recognized as Hades, god of the Underworld, her mother's True Love.

And who was supposed to be dead since many years.

Something like… twenty-seven years ? Maybe.

But, of course, it was not the only surprise she was going to get during this strange and awkward day.

 _§§§§_

There was something strange with this world.

Well many things were strange, it was the least she could say about it. And she was still trying to figure out where she arrived, after all, she came in Storybrooke, at first, and then, she fell in this world, without knowing why.

Maybe it was like what happened to Emma, she fell in some parallel world, and she took the place of the original Robyn.

Except that she knew it was not her world, and that she had to escape from it.

But, seeing all these people from her family, seeing _Alice_ next to her, and her mother, and her aunt, she couldn't do anything.

She tried to act naturally, and it looked like she was doing it well, because no one questioned her.

Some hours passed this way, before the door opened, and a man appeared in the room.

Immediately, Regina ran into the man's arms, embracing him during a long time, as if she didn't see him since some days, which was surely the case.

And Robyn stopped breathing.

There was something strangely familiar in this man, something she couldn't identify, but she was sure as hell that she knew him.

He had a bow in his hands, and some arrows on his back, and Robyn just froze.

 _No, it's impossible…_

The man smiled to her, softly, seeming to know her, before saying :

"Hello Robyn."

And the young woman stopped breathing again, because now, she was sure of this, she did know him, she knew who he was. She didn't hear his voice so many times in her life, except when she was a baby, but something woke up in her at this moment, when she heard him talking to her.

And then, she smiled too, weakly.

"Dad ? She asked him, in a so low voice that no one heard it."

Slowly, as she was now trembling, she walked in his direction, and she took him into her arms, in a long embrace, as if she didn't see him for years.

(Which was, indeed, the case.)

And she began to cry, too.

 _§§§§_

Some days passed, and Robyn didn't leave the place.

She tried, she did, in fact, but it didn't work, but maybe that she didn't really want to leave it either.

She created this world.

Or, in fact, this world had been made for her, in this one, she had the life she always wanted.

She had her family with her, and Alice had her own too, her father, and her mother too, as here, Emma was her mother, instead of Gothel.

Zelena had Hades with her, and she was happy, just as Regina was.

And her father was here too.

Robyn didn't need a great time before wanting to never leave this place.

 _§§§§_

Belle wasn't liking it.

Definitely not.

She had some news from the Olympus, and apparently, she had a mission : persuade Robyn Mills to come back to the real world while the world where she was just was what she always wanted.

When Robyn saw Belle appear in front of her, coming from nowhere (and being seen by no one but by herself), she realized something was wrong.

"Do you know who I am Robyn ?

\- Yes, the young woman answered. You're Belle, Rumplestiltskin's wife. And you're dead.

\- I am."

Robyn frowned.

"So what… you're a fucking ghost, that's it ? Why are you here ?

\- To make you leave this place.

\- Why ? I am happy here ! Why on hell would I want to leave this world ?

\- This place is not real."

Robyn smiled sadly to her.

"My father is here. It's enough for me. Alice remembers me. My aunt and my mom remember me, and they are happy. That's enough for me.

\- That would be enough for you ? Belle asked her, astonished. You would prefer _this_ , instead of reality ?

\- Of course !

\- Robyn, you're wrong, and…"

She didn't care, she realized.

She just _didn't want_ to care.

Not for now, not this day.

She just wanted some time, _for her_.

"Please Belle, just leave me alone."

The ghost looked sad, but she nodded, and she disappeared.

 _§§§§_

"Do you really think it's going to last forever ?

\- What ?

\- This world. This situation. You can't stay here forever Robyn.

\- Why not ?

\- Because this is not real. This is not true."

And then, full of anger, Robyn just exploded.

"And then what Belle ? What if I didn't care about reality, about the real world ? What if I just didn't care about the truth ? What if I just wanted to be happy, with them, even if they don't exist ?"

She was crying now.

"My father is dead, Belle. He is _gone_ , his soul has been _destroyed_ , and he is not going to come back. _Never_. I will never get the chance to know him. I just want this, to live with people who remember me, people that I may not be able to see again in the real world, and I need this, even if all of this is just fake.

\- Robyn…

\- Do you know what it is Belle ? To lose your father ?

\- Yes. Yes, I do. Kind of. My dad… he never accepted my life choices… I kind of lost him, some years ago, well, we never really reconciled. So yes, I do know what it is.

\- Then you understand me. I never had a chance to have him in my life. The other him, from the wish realm, it's not the same thing, because he didn't have the same life, and he doesn't see himself as my father, so, _this is not him_. But here, in this world, I have a new chance.

\- So, this is just about you, wanting to live in a fake world.

\- No ! I mean, yes, but, not only ! This is for Alice too ! Robyn protested, even though she wasn't really convincing. Here, she has the chance to be with her father, without any curse to separate them."

Belle smiled sadly to her, with some sympathy toward the young woman.

"She is not real Robyn, and you know it.

\- Yes, maybe, but at least, _she is here_.

 _§§§§_

She felt like real.

But, even if Robyn wanted to lie to herself, she still had conscious that none of it was true.

Alice felt like she was real, her smiles seemed to be, she seemed to be real, when she talked to her, or when her hands touched.

Their kisses, they seemed to be, and it was breaking more and more Robyn's heart, to know that it was not.

It was a lie, something fake, something she had to flee.

But she didn't want to.

She just wanted one thing, she wanted Alice to make her forget about reality.

And for a time, it worked.

But, of course, it didn't last.

Because reality would always be here behind her, even if she didn't want it.

 _§§§§_

She talked with Hades, some times, and it was really difficult to see in this man the one who used to be an angry and evil god, someone who lied to her mother, and who manipulated her, even though he loved her, it was someone that Zelena had to kill, in the end.

It was the man who killed her father.

But here, he was good for her mother, but he wasn't real too, or himself, and Robyn knew it.

None of them was.

Belle told her magic created this world, and that Robyn just made it the way she wanted it, with only the people she loved the most in the world.

But them, in the other world, they were waiting for her to come back.

"Tell me, Belle, what can be better in this world, so I would want to come back ?

\- Nothing, Belle admitted. But that's the point ! They need you. There are some things you can fix. And in this world, there is a real Alice, waiting for you, who doesn't remember you, but who needs help, and who is alone and broken."

Robyn immediately paled.

"What do you mean by _alone_ ? Doesn't she have her father with her ?

\- She doesn't. They were separated after the curse took them. And now, she needs you. I know it hurts, because she doesn't know who you are, but, maybe that you can reconnect with her. I know you're still in pain Robyn, because everything you loved was taking from you, and I know it seems to be the better way, to stay here, but it's just the easy way. You have to get back, and fight for them."

Robyn stayed silent, she was shaking, and she nodded, in the end.

"Alright Belle, _alright_. I will do it, I will leave this place, with you. I guess you have a way to leave it."

The ghost nodded her head.

"But, added the archer, please, just let me some time, before we go.

\- Why ? She demanded her, interested in the answer."

And Robyn looked at her father, who was now not far from her.

"There is someone to who I want to say goodbye, she whispered, tears in her eyes."

Belle just nodded, understanding.

 _§§§§_

"Dad ? She asked Robin. Can I talk with you ?"

The other archer just nodded his head, and then, he felt his daughter in his arms.

She was crying, and he didn't understand the reason why.

"Robyn… kid, are you alright ?"

 _No, I'm not._

 _I'm going to loose you, forever._

 _And I already miss you_.

"Yes, she answered, trying to stay firm as much as she could. Yes dad, I am (it still felt strange to call him that way. Well, to call _someone_ this way. She never did it with Chad.)"

She is lying, for sure, he can say that.

"No, you're not, he says. Robyn, I know you enough to know when you're lying to me or not."

And Robyn made something unexpected.

She started to laugh.

A sad laugh, mainly, because what he was telling her was making no sense for her.

 _No, you don't know me._

 _Or at least, I don't know you_.

 _The one you know, it's not me, and it never was me._

 _It was someone else._

She walked away from him, then wiping her tears.

"I'm not right, it's true. For one reason. I am going to leave this place, and I won't come back dad."

He started, astonished.

"What ? What do you mean ? Aren't you happy here ?

\- Yes, I am, but… I don't belong here dad.

\- You know, if you want to visit the world, it's not a problem, you can if you want. Do you want Alice to come with you ?"

Robyn smiled sadly, again.

"Dad, you don't understand. What I mean by I am leaving, is that… I am not just leaving this place, and this realm, I'm… I'm leaving this world.

\- Robyn… what do you mean ?"

The young woman tried to smile, tears coming back to her eyes, and she began to tremble.

"What I am trying to tell you dad, is that… this, all of this… it's not my world. This is not real. _You're not real._ And I know you're not going to believe me, but it's true. And I wanted to tell you this, because you're my father, and in my world, the real one… you're dead. And I wanted, for a time, to stay here, because my world is not the best one, but I must come back because people in there need my help, and I have to wake them up, and…"

But, before she was able to finish her sentence, her father took her in his arms.

"Everything will be alright Robyn, he told her, and she smiled."

And she left.

 _§§§§_

When she came back to Hyperion Heights, she saved Alice from an almost certain death, and even though it hurt to see her lover not recognizing her, well… she was the real Alice, and she would wake her up some day.

She was sure of this.

Belle told her that her mother and her aunt remembered everything about the curse, just as Rumplestiltskin himself, and she felt better when she learned it, because _she was not alone_.

And she had some memories of her father, even if it was not him, not really.

But it was the most she could have ever had with him, so, she didn't regret what happened.

She left this world, but she didn't regret staying in there some time.

She didn't know the reason why she got there, and for now, this world was completely gone, and maybe that it had just been a dream, a beautiful dream, yes, but nothing else, nothing more.

And she smiled, when she looked at the places of Hyperion Heights where she went some times, before she left and went to Phuket, having a different look on them.

For one simple reason.

She was at home, finally.

She entered at Roni's, both surprising her mother and her aunt.

"Margot ! Zelena said, surprised by her presence. You're back !"

Her daughter smiled, and nodded.

"Yes mom, I am… I am happy to get back home. Hello to you too, aunt Regina."

She wasn't subtle, yes, she knew it.

Again, she didn't care.

Regina frowned.

"Wait… Robyn… you're awake ?"

Robyn had a little laugh.

Yes, she was at her home, and some day, Alice would remember her.

"Yes, I am… It's a long story, she confessed."

Internally, she thanked Belle for her help.

Because, thanks to her, she did the right choice, and came back home.

THE END.


End file.
